Executive Order on LGBT discrimination will not include religious exemption

The New York Times is reporting today that the Executive Order President Obama is planning to sign on Monday will not include an exemption for religious groups. That order will protect from discrimination LGBT employees of the federal government as well as those organizations who contract with the federal government.

Mr. Obama is building on two longstanding executive orders. He is adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the list of protections that apply to federal contractors and that were approved by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. And he is adding gender identity as a protected category to a 1969 directive by President Richard M. Nixon that applies to federal employees, which was later amended by President Bill Clinton to include sexual orientation.

The Huffington Post says the provisions will take effect immediately. The Washington Post notes that "Obama will preserve an exemption put in place by former president George W. Bush that allows religiously affiliated contractors to favor employees of a certain religion in making hiring decisions."